If Atem Lived in my Head

The Walk

            

The sun is nice. The weather is too hot for most people to really enjoy it but I'd take sweltering heat over the cold any day.

"You do well in the sun." Atem notes.

I nod contentedly "I love the sun."

"Is that why you picked Egypt for your vacation?" he asks me.

"Partly." I tell him honestly.

"What was the other part?" he asks.

"I love Egypt." I smile at him.

"Really." He smiles interestedly.

"Mmhhmm." I nod and let my fingers trail over the leaves as we follow the trail. Now one ever walks this trail, it's the fourteen-mile loop.

"Why?" he asks walking backwards in front of me.

"I don't know." I shrug "I just always have, the mummies and the history and the pharaohs."

"Pharaohs you say." He has a look in his eyes I've yet to see until this moment.

"I've always been drawn to it." I tell him

"Don't you think that's a sign?" he asks me, sweeping his cape to the side as we walk.

"A sign of what?" I roll my eyes at him, is he really going to bring this up again?

"A sign that you are meant to help me with my task." His smile widens. "destiny has chosen you, Nuni."

"Okay." I hold my hand up to him "first off, you're not allowed to talk like that, it's way to inspiring,"

"And that's a bad thing?" he asks confused.

"and two." I don't even give him an answer to his question. "I have things I have to take care of here."

"You mean your family?" he prompts.

"Yes, I mean my family." I stop walking and let my toes dig into the grass. I left my shoes in the car so that I could really feel everything.

"What about your mother?" he asks me.

"You've see my mother." I remind him "you know the answer to your own question."

"It is not your duty to take care of your brothers and sister." He tells me.

"It may not be my duty." I sigh "but it's still something that has to be done."

Atem's eyes widen as if my answer took him off guard.

"Don't look at me like that." I walk past him.

"It's hard not to." He says catching up to me easily

stupid puzzle. I grumble.

"You're are so amazing." He says, my cheeks turn pink.

Take a freaking compliment. I growl inwardly.

"It's hard not to admire your strength and selflessness." His eyes are on me.

"Enough!" I yell at him "I don't want to talk to you right now."

"I am only saying the truth." He says gently "I don't understand why it's so hard for you to hear."

"because me doing the right thing isn't 'amazing' or 'brave' it needs to be done." I snap "that's it.

"Why are you so against seeing yourself as amazing?" he demands, finally getting frusstraed with me.

"Because I'm not." I snap back. "because completing a task doesn't deserve praise."

"Then what does it deserve?" he plants himself in front of me, arms crossed, jaw set.

"Maybe a high five." I concede.

"What is this?" He demands, still sounding annoyed. I grab his wrist and hold it up and slap his hand.

"That is a high-five." I tell him.

"This is a reward?" he asks me doubtfully.

"Yes, it's very common here." I cross my arms and smile at him. "it's like saying congratulations or awesome or way to go."

"Very well." He sighs "I will abide by your culture." He grabs my wrist and slaps my hand.

"Way to go." The words sound ridiculous in his mouth but I can't help smiling.

"Thanks."

"You are still amazing." He says, his lips curl back into a smirk. I frown at him.

"You went and ruined it." I throw my hands up and stalk past him. I can hear him laughing. I scowl and try to focus on the earth around me.

He's lucky he's already dead or I'd have killed him by now. I think hotly.

"If anyone can figure out how to kill me twice." He says right next to me ear "it's you."

"Don't tempt me." I struggle to keep the smile off my face. I ignore the smirk on his as I continue along the trail.